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Keep your mat clean and fresh with this simple yet effective DIY Mat Spray recipe! The 2 scent blends are absolutely dreamy and help to seal my practice before I roll up my mat and continue on with my day.

I'm SO excited to share this post with you because it's written by one of my favourite yogis on the planet- the fabulous and talented Liz Huntly. She's written a guest post on how to find our internal fire through movement and breath, even in the midst of the umpteenth polar vortex!

This is the final post in June's series of exploring Mindful Eating. We began the series by thinking about what we would serve if Buddha came to our home for dinner- how we might prepare, serve, eat and digest that meal. We reflected on how different that meal is to the ones we serve ourselves every day? We explored bringing more of our mindful attention to food- how it smells, tastes, feels and digests. For this final week, I'd like us to try making one Buddha meal for ourselves. Just one. You are divine. You are worth it. So, what will you serve?

Yoga and eating both hold so many potentials for our health- nourishing our bodies, repairing imbalances, steadying our minds, boosting our energy levels and improving our self-awareness. Yoga and eating can also be seen as practices. When I practice yoga, I strive to do so with mindful attention, aware of my body's signals and with loving kindness. I use the breath as a physical tool to keep me grounded in the present and in my body. When I eat, I strive to do so with mindful attention, aware of my body's signals and with loving kindness. I use my physical senses, like taste, smell and sight to stay in the present while eating and I stay tuned in to my body after eating to notice how I'm digesting, my energy levels and my mental balance.

Last week I left you with the question, 'If Buddha came to dinner, what would you serve and how would you eat the meal?'. Most of us would aspire to use the freshest ingredients, organic and local, we would prepare the meal with love and care and we would sit to eat, slowly and mindfully. We'd probably even take the time to digest and be thankful. How would our bodies and minds feel if we ate Buddha meals all the time? My guess is we'd feel pretty great. So, why don't we? And how do we get to Buddha meals? One of the practices in yoga that has helped me to become a more mindful eater is the practice of coming back to the breath.

I was often eating on the go, eating when I was upset or stressed, eating while reading, eating while on the computer, eating while thinking about what I had to do that day, eating what was convenient, eating what was going to give me a short term quick fix or failing to eat at all. When I began letting the practice of mindfulness shine on my relationship to food, I began to realize how negative it was. I wasn’t eating to heal or to nourish or to love myself, and worst of all, I had no idea how to.

Each of us is biochemically unique. Isn't that a wonderful thing? We're all snowflakes- complex patterns, unlike anybody else. That being said, no one diet is right for everyone. If you are feeling unbalanced, I'd highly recommend seeing a nutritional practitioner to find out what will work for the unique and complex patterns that make up you. A good practitioner will examine your diet, heavy metal exposure, exposure to toxins, symptomatology and stress levels and design a nutritional protocol specific to you.

The respiratory system refers to the lungs, airways and respiratory muscles that allow the exchange of gases. These gases, oxygen and carbon dioxide, are passively exchanged in the alveolar region of the lungs. Most of the respiratory system is lined with mucous membranes that protect the system. Cells lining the lungs also secrete immune factors and other antimicrobials that help to protect the lungs from infection and damage.

The Nervous System Did you know that humans have between 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts each day? Our brain is a network of over 85 billion neurons sending signals through substances called neurotransmitters. These chemical messengers are made from amino acids, which come from the proteins in our diet. The brain is fuelled by glucose from the carbohydrates we eat and dietary fats are replenishing our brain, which is made up of 60% fat. So, in a very literal way, we are what we eat! Certain foods help to sharpen our mind, balance our mood, and boost our memory, while other foods negatively impact our nervous system.

For the Love of Body

Kathrin Brunner is a holistic nutritionist and yoga teacher based in Toronto, Ontario. She offers nutritional and lifestyle consultations, and with her partner Andrew, delivers inspiring workshops on a range of topics from fermentation to DIY, non-toxic bodycare products. These products are available for sale in their online store.